A huge thank you to every one of you who kindly left feedback! I'm receiving such wonderful support and even more people are contacting me to contribute fanart, which makes me feel so loved and fortunate! You're all so amazing. Thank you for sharing my enthusiasm in this project. It really does inspire me to write regularly.
So, based on the feedback, the majority of you believe that Itachi is the sky ruler, which is interesting xD I won't really say anything more about that, as I'd like to keep you in suspense until the very end. Mwaha. Anyway, this is another description heavy chapter, as Sakura visits a few places in the palace. I absolutely hated writing those parts, it literally took me an hour just to do the ballroom bit, whereas I'd have done triple the amount of writing if it was just dialogue! Gah. Well, hope you'll enjoy it regardless! It's mostly Sakura-centred, with mentions of other characters here and there.
Chapter XII
That bane,
Betrayal,
Spears the heart,
Skewers to pieces,
Precious trust,
And love is snatched,
And torn apart,
Verily do they,
Lament its fall,
As friendships withers,
And turns to dust,
Its memory gone,
Beyond recall.
Sakura stood by the fireplace, watching as the strong flames crackled steadily in the hearth. The warmth they radiated was scarcely felt by her body. On the inside, she was numb. Her head ached, a lingering side-effect of whatever diabolical spell Sasuke had woven upon her senses. But her energy-replenished mind was racing at blinding speed in an attempt to process the true meaning behind her captor's parting words.
He had told her that she wasn't a prisoner. Her initial reaction had been one of fury; he was taunting her helplessness, delighting in her fear and distress. He was nothing more than a cruel, demented sadist who, for reasons that eluded her, had been secretly watching her for an unspecified length of time. Then Sakura had recalled that he hadn't actually pursued her when she'd fled from the palace. Her teeth dug anxiously into her lower lip as a soft frown marred her brow. It didn't make any sense. Why would Sasuke kidnap her, only to inform her that she was free to leave – provided she could find a way out?
Cold realisation settled in the depths of her stomach like an unpleasant block of ice. Sasuke was likely so confident, so absolutely certain that she couldn't find the escape route that he was inviting her to make an attempt. Because her efforts would surely entertain his twisted mind. It was the only valid explanation and one that caused Sakura's small fingers to curl into angry fists.
Sasuke clearly knew more about her than he let on and that fact alarmed and disconcerted her. That he'd chosen to breach the topic of death, to claim that it was hopeless for her to want to preserve lives was proof enough of that.
The creep, Sakura thought, glaring with enough heat to rival the flames before her. The moment she got out, she vowed that she'd get her mother's top lawyer onto Sasuke's case. She'd have him arrested and see him behind bars for the horror he was putting her through. She wasn't a bad person. She'd never done anything to warrant such torment. Sasuke didn't seem to have a rational excuse to account for his actions, other than that he wished it.
Well, Sakura wasn't about to give up fighting him. She'd find a way back home to her mother – somehow. Yes, Sasuke terrified her - so much so that she was convinced her cardiovascular system was ready to shut down whenever she glimpsed him – but that didn't mean she would make things easy for him. They were strangers. There was no reason for her to be polite. Besides, she had already witnessed that the civilised approach didn't work with him. He was not a civilised individual. He was barbaric, a lunatic, someone she couldn't possibly communicate with, and if he believed for a second that she had any intention of humouring whatever disgusting designs he was harbouring-
Her mind abruptly screeched to a halt. Maybe- maybe her approach was wrong? Her eyes gazed intently at the flames lapping hungrily over one another for dominance as she allowed the thought to slowly unwind. She'd seen that confrontation was futile; screaming and shouting at Sasuke and falling into hysterics achieved nothing. He was like an impenetrable wall against which all her protests harmlessly rebounded. But, if she adopted a more subtle strategy…. if she gave him the impression that she was giving up the fight, if she behaved herself and busied herself with other things, and tried to make courteous conversation with him…
Sakura blinked, pressing the palms of her hands against her eyelids in frustration. What was she thinking? How could she even entertain such an outrageous idea? Even if it was smarter than the methods she had already utilised, how could she possibly compose herself and rein in her anger enough to speak to Sasuke politely? It meant swallowing her pride and dignity and succumbing to his wishes. Her kidnapper didn't strike her as the kind of person who was easily fooled. What if she played nice, only for him to discover her true intentions? What would she do then?
Sakura had never been a good liar. She wore her heart on her sleeve; her emotions, in many ways, were her greatest weaknesses. How could she possibly conceal the truth of her actions from someone whose very gaze seemed to pierce straight through her skull?
She groaned. The only way was to actually stop searching for an escape. To do the opposite of what he very clearly expected. Sakura knew she would have to lay low for a while – the longer, the more believable. Perhaps Sasuke would eventually cease to be suspicious of her. She would slowly but surely learn more, and when she knew enough, and when he least expected it, she would make a mad dash for freedom.
At least, that was the plan. It seemed like a very dangerous and haphazard one to Sakura, but the logical voice in her head - which she was surprised hadn't yet abandoned her given the circumstances - argued that it was a much more sensible and viable option than dissolving into fits of tears and hysteria whenever she encountered Sasuke. Or locking herself in her bedroom and sulking. And she only really had two choices of action – to yield to panic and kick up a fuss, making blind-sighted attempts at escaping, or to quietly observe, learn, and then map out a strategy once she was better informed on what, exactly, her situation was. Admittedly it was a much more painfully slow process, and results were not guaranteed – but what other alternative was there?
Sakura turned distractedly away from the grand fireplace, her decision made. She would simply avoid Sasuke for as long as possible. And if he did stop by to see her, or summoned her to him, she would dutifully play the part of a timid, frightened mouse, which wouldn't be too difficult a role to fall into, considering just how much he set her on edge.
He had granted her permission to wander where she pleased. Sakura's eyes turned to the double doors that led out to the sprawling, black-marbled hall. Wandering was precisely what she planned to do. She walked toward the doors, reached out to open them, when they suddenly parted before her, revealing the surprised faces of her attendants.
"Oh!" Ume exclaimed, her eyes wide, and, Sakura was certain, a little guilty. "Mistress! You are awake!"
Sakura's gaze darted between the women. She noticed how they seemed to avoid eye-contact, and immediately deduced that they had likely been the ones who had fed her when she had been… out of it. At least, she hoped that they had; the thought of Sasuke doing it sent her heart into a wild gallop.
"We hope you are well rested," Chizu followed, curtsying respectfully. Sakura released a light sigh. She wondered whether befriending her maids would be possible, and to her benefit. She reasoned that as long as she didn't ask questions about their master, there would be no obstacles in gaining their trust. Acting sceptically toward them wouldn't do her any favours. The initial shock and disbelief of what had happened to her had finally started to sink in, and although remnants still lingered, particularly in relation to Sasuke and what, exactly, he was, Sakura knew she couldn't afford to lose her composure anymore. She needed to remain level-headed if she wanted to hold any hope at all of her plan succeeding.
"Please," Sakura entreated. "I already asked you not to address me so formally."
"Forgive us," Chizu apologised, her eyes slowly lifting to regard their charge. Sakura read the uncertainty in them, as if the woman was expecting her to bolt off again at any moment, and offered a tiny, tentative smile.
Win their trust, the voice of practicality whispered in her head.
"Well… I do feel a little better now. I was wondering…" here she paused, allowing them to see her own hesitancy, "I'd like to take a look around; I mean, if that's alright with you?"
Ume beamed, and Sakura felt an unexpected tug at her heart. She fleetingly wondered how the girl and her older supervisor had even ended up serving a madman like Sasuke. Had he kidnapped them also? Sakura suppressed a shudder at the realisation that such a possibility, if it were indeed true, would not surprise her.
It was Chizu who replied, "We would be most pleased to provide you with a tour of the palace. Which area would you like to visit first?"
"The east wing has such splendid galleries," Ume gushed excitedly. "And a library Mistress; such a wonderful sight! Do you like to read? Oh," she seemed to catch herself, and averted her eyes bashfully. "I am sorry to be so forward-"
"Please show me," Sakura interjected reassuringly.
"If it would please you to accompany us," Chizu said, gesturing to the hallway beyond the doorway's threshold. Sakura nodded and followed after them. Chizu walked ahead, while Ume kept pace beside Sakura. They guided her along the central corridor toward the royal staircase and the ground floor. As they made their way down the steps, Chizu led Sakura to the left, in the direction opposite to the banqueting hall, passing beneath the archways and several doors. Chizu explained to Sakura that it was relatively easy to navigate through the palace despite its immense size, if one simply divided it into four sections – the east wing, the west wing, the northern quarters and its terraces and the southern entrance behind them.
Sakura followed quietly, listening closely to every piece of information the elder of her attendants disclosed, painting a mental map in her mind of the palace's different segments. She'd always possessed a good sense of special awareness throughout her schooling. Chizu led them through the regal door at the very back of the entrance hall and into yet another wide hallway, lined with more armoured knight statues. Elaborate, illuminated chandeliers hung from the high arched ceiling. Eventually the hallway ended, merging into another wide, arch-shaped opening in the wall which led through to another shorter passageway. The black marble floor was replaced by pure silver, and Sakura's eyes were dazzled by the richness of its sheen. Ivory angels stood in lamentation around the area's perimeter and rich tapestries bearing the same red and white fan insignia Sakura had spied outside of the palace were hung upon the pale grey stone walls. An uchiwa fan, Sakura recognised, wondering what manner of significance it bore.
Chizu drew to a stop by a pair of enormous, solid gold doors, encrusted with what appeared to be genuine sapphire gem stones. Swirled around the precious, diamond shaped jewels were burnt silver filigree designs. Sakura's jaw dropped in astonishment. The door was another work of fabulous art, and she was mesmerised by the clarity of light that shone within the gems.
"This here is the ballroom, Mistress," Chizu informed her, reaching out to open the doors. Sakura, who had expected them to way a tonne, was surprised when they parted effortlessly. They stepped into the room and onto the spacious landing of a gigantic, porcelain staircase that boasted ornate, golden banisters, coiled with the same beautiful filigree designs that featured decoratively around the rest of the palace. The stairway was enclosed at the front but swept out to form two separate majestic staircases at the sides, gently curving inward they descended. And when Sakura's eyes fell upon what was beyond them she felt the air leave her lungs.
Pure splendour overwhelmed her eyes and her senses. The ballroom was a sprawling, shimmering masterpiece, a picture of utter grandeur, lined on both sides by Palladian-like, stained-glass balcony doors and windows. They were crowned by elaborate, solid gold cornices, from which hung gauzy, semi-transparent crimson drapes, drawn back and held in place by twists of golden rope. Candles burned steadily in tall, three-headed floor candelabra, placed before the strips of wall that separated the rainbow-coloured glass. Golden light glinted off the ruby tear-droplets attached to the ornate bronze frames. The bases of the walls were painted rich, deep gold, as were the arms of the three gigantic, crystal chandeliers that hung from the gold-lined ceiling. And as Sakura turned her bedazzled gaze up to the sight towering high above her, she was overcome by a fresh wave of awe.
The exquisitely painted ceiling was a beautiful pale sky blue and white, depicting many winged angels and other graceful figures who she assumed were gods and goddesses. A glorious sun shone behind them, painted in spectacular shades of yellow and yet more gold. Exotic birds and flowers breathed further life into the breath-taking artwork. The scene portrayed a world that was fantastically mythical. Sakura felt a rush of light-headedness just staring up at it, knew she could spend hours poring over its delightful details. She then turned her attention to the ballroom's golden-hued floor. The firelight's warm glow threw an array of colours from the glass windows and doors onto the ground's shimmering surface. It was polished to perfection, mirroring the chandelier above it as well as her astounded reflection.
Around the vast room were placed low, elegant, ornately-decorated golden chaise longue sofas. Their cushions were crimson, matching the curtain draperies. Sakura shook her head in disbelieving wonder as she walked forward in admiration, and was about to turn back to her waiting attendants, when she spotted the most striking grand piano she had ever laid eyes upon in the far left-hand corner of the room ahead of her. It was elegantly cut, its sides encrusted with filigree engraved gold. The keys were pristine, perfect ivory and the underside of the lid boasted another gorgeous painting depicting even more angels. The piano's golden stool matched the elaborate design on the magnificent instrument's body and fall cover. Sakura slowly exhaled, turning to look around the area once again. Deep, sensuous crimson and gold, illuminated by warm candlelight - it was an enchanting, magical combination, and her mind couldn't quite comprehend the stunning beauty of it.
"This is…" she spoke in a hushed voice, almost afraid that the imperial vision before her would dispel if she raised her tone any higher. "This is wonderful…"
"It is indeed," Chizu replied.
"I knew you would like it!" Ume enthused.
"And if it would please your ladyship, you may come to play on that piano any time you wish."
Sakura's eyes lingered appreciatively on the instrument, before turning back to regard Chizu. "Oh," she said, raising a hand self-consciously to her hair, "I'm not really any good. I mean, my mother taught me, but that was…" her voice trailed off at the thought of her mother, and her heart constricted tightly within her. Swallowing back the misery that threatened to consume her at that very moment, she finished quietly, "That was a long time ago."
A brief yet heavy silence ensued, in which Chizu and Ume exchanged uncomfortable glances, when Sakura piped up, "I'd like to see more – if you wouldn't mind."
"Of course!" Ume burst out, her sweet features brightening with relief. "Oh, please let us show her the library, matron!"
"Very well," Chizu answered, a small smile gracing her lips as she gestured back toward the direction of the staircase. "This way, if it would please you to follow us."
Sai felt the blood drain from his face, causing his frighteningly pale complexion to ashen even further. His thoughts had all at once become a jumbled, frenzied mess. The only coherent thing that ricocheted through his mind was that death, upon reflection, had found no reason to allow him to live any further and had surely returned to finish him off once and for all.
The rapid, unsteady bursts of air escaping his lips vaporised into the freezing atmosphere that had settled like a suffocating blanket around him. When the tall figure coalesced from the darkness and began to circle him with predator-like grace Sai was convinced that his heart was ready to go into cardiac arrest.
"Great God," he managed to greet, bowing his head in reverence. The electric energy that crackled through the air was asphyxiating. Sai's nerve endings were on fire, anticipating a bolt of agonising pain at any moment.
His terror was magnified ten-fold when the punishment did not immediately come, when Sasuke stopped directly in front of him and instead reached out to grab him roughly – but not painfully – by the collar of his grey top.
"We will not talk here," he uttered coldly, and Sai sensed a rapid fall in pressure around him. His mouth opened in horror, his sprinting mind immediately acknowledging what was about to happen, but he could do nothing to avoid it. Disobeying Sasuke would be foolish, dangerous. And so he closed his eyes, felt freezing, biting wind assault him as the ground fell away beneath his feet and his world spun out of control – and when he touched down again and opened his eyes once more, his fears were confirmed. They were standing by the misty mouth of the Underworld – Sasuke's territory.
The ginormous hound Cerberus stood at growling attention, watching the morsel that had been spirited into his range keenly and hungrily. But his master's iron will kept him firmly at bay.
Sai's vision blurred when Sasuke abruptly released him. Vertigo took over, causing him to stumble unsteadily on his feet, overcome with nausea and an escalating sense of panic. His right foot caught against protruding rock on the ground, sending him sprawling to the floor. He sat up, clutching his pounding head, trying to restore order to his breathing.
"Pathetic," Sasuke quipped, his voice dripping with open contempt. And then, mercilessly, "Get up."
Sai tried to push himself off the ground, only for the world to tilt violently again. With an impatient snarl, Sasuke stepped forward and aggressively yanked him to his feet, maintaining a tight grip on the fabric over the disorientated youth's chest. Sai wheezed for oxygen and forced himself to remain as still as possible. Eventually, blessedly, his vision cleared, and though he still felt lightheaded, he was able to stand unassisted without falling over. Seeing this, Sasuke withdrew his hand and narrowed his eyes intimidatingly.
"You assume I have the girl."
Sai wasn't able to stem the sharp inhalation of air in time. It was all the confirmation Sasuke needed, as he folded his arms smugly across his chest, and confirmed tauntingly, "You are correct."
It took every ounce of Sai's willpower to keep his gaze from flying up to stare at the Death God in stupefied shock. Sasuke was actually admitting that he had kidnapped Sakura? Of course he had suspected it all along, but to have it openly confirmed; that didn't bode well for Sai. It was surely the final nail in the coffin Sasuke had long been preparing for him. He was about to die; Sasuke was just ensuring that his end was all the more cruel.
Keeping his eyes trained onto the ground, he said shakily, "I have spoken nothing to them-"
"And you will speak nothing," Sasuke interjected briskly. "You will inform me of every action they take."
Sai released an astonished breath, this time unable to stop his eyes from rising to the death deity's face. Overcome by a head-whirling combination of confusion and uncertainty, he began, "Forgive me- but I do not-"
"You will report their progress to me," Sasuke clarified.
Sai blinked as understanding slowly began to dawn upon him. Sasuke wanted him to spy on Tsunade and the others' search for Sakura. He was rendered mute with horror. Sasuke was asking him to not only lie, but to stab the people who had only ever treated him kindly in the back. How could he do such a thing? What manner of person would it make him if he consented?
He knew the answer, of course; he would be lower than scum, unworthy of the powers that had been bestowed unto him. Heart racing, he bravely began to shake his head in rejection of the command, for he couldn't betray the people who trusted him, but the cruel, callous smirk that curved one corner of Sasuke's lips communicated that he had no choice.
"Do this and I will release you of your debt. You have my word."
Sai swallowed thickly. To be free… to live without fear of looking over his shoulder, expecting death to claim him at any moment; painful longing tugged at his heart. But it was quickly replaced by an icy bitterness. Could he really betray Naruto, and Tsunade, the very goddess who had saved his life? And Kakashi, Shikamaru, Ino, and all the other friends he had made; how could he ever face them again if he agreed?
Sensing his lingering hesitance, Sasuke added what he knew would be the seal on the deal, "Your brother's soul will enter Elysium."
Sai's shoulder's tensed for a brief moment before slumping, head bowing low as he despondently averted his gaze. The mention of his deceased brother sparked too many agonising memories, but within the swirl of despair was white-hot anger. Sasuke was an unjust and master manipulator who abused his powers to bend others to his will. He was undeserving of his title as God of the Dead, a monster who was capricious in nature and thoroughly unsympathetic to the plights of others. And yet, Sai was not foolish enough to defy him. Sasuke would likely kill him if he refused, but he would never allow Sai's soul to pass on for disobeying him. He would keep it in captivity and torture it forever.
"They will question me again," the messenger said dejectedly. "I fear I cannot throw them off trail this time-"
In response, Sasuke raised his left arm, holding his palm out toward Sai. The youth flinched fearfully, his heart immediately jumping into his throat as he watched Sasuke's hand glow an eerie blue-white. A strange, tingling feeling began to radiate in Sai's mouth, and he realised in alarm a split-second later that it was originating from the back of his tongue. The tingling became a burning pain, choking his throat shut, and for a few moments he couldn't draw breath. Then the unpleasant feeling passed, vanishing as suddenly as it had appeared. Sai coughed and raised wide, ink-black eyes up to Sasuke's face, to find the death deity regarding him aloofly down the barrel of his straight, aristocratic nose.
"A seal now rests upon your tongue. If you speak, you die," he stated matter-of-factly. Narrowing his gaze at Sai, he supplemented threateningly, "You are watched at all times, messenger."
Sai gulped. His mind was racing with panic. How in the world was he supposed to infiltrate into the plans of his friends without being exposed as a spy? Kakashi, Tsunade and the others were not simpletons. They would suspect him immediately. But Sasuke didn't look like he was worried about that. It was down to Sai to get the information the death deity desired. The means through which he did so were none of Sasuke's concern.
"How will I contact you?" Sai questioned uncertainly.
"I will find you," Sasuke replied ominously.
Sai swallowed again, and slowly nodded, plagued by a horrible, crushing sense of guilt. But he had no other alternative. At least if he was found out, he could surely attempt to reason with Naruto and the others. With Sasuke, he had no such luxury.
"As you wish, Great God. But," he added hesitantly, before his nerve could abandon him, "I would like to see Sakura before I depart."
Sasuke's onyx eyes glinted dangerously, possessively. "No," he uttered curtly, automatically.
"Please; only for a minute. I will do as you ask, but I would like to see that she is well and unharmed-"
"She is unharmed," Sasuke snapped, his tone warning Sai to dismiss the very idea. "Now leave – before I relinquish my control of Cerberus."
Sai cast a nervous glance at the ravenous, salivating three-headed beast and knew he had outstayed his short welcome. Sasuke was clearly not about to consent to his request; the menacing expression on the death deity's face informed Sai that there was absolutely no way he would be able to meet and converse with Sakura. Bowing his head submissively, he closed his eyes, immediately felt the same biting, freezing wind as the ground gave way beneath him once again.
When he opened his eyes, he was back in the lamp-illuminated park.
"Can you do it?" Naruto's large blue eyes stared intently and hopefully at Inoichi. Ino's father was as stern and grave as ever as he raised the small cup of steaming tea which Kakashi had served him to his lips and took a sip.
"It would require me to tap into my own seal," he replied after swallowing his mouthful. They were seated in a triangular formation on the floor, with the tray of refreshments resting between them. Directing a level look at Kakashi, he added, "If I were to do this, it would only be a matter of time before he finds out. You understand what could happen, Kakashi. You understand that the only reason we continue to be is because of the oaths we gave."
"Yes," Kakashi sighed wearily. "But we have little other choice. Sai isn't telling us everything. We need to find out what, exactly, he knows."
Inoichi looked displeased. "Kakashi," he said, the serious tone of his voice causing Naruto's heart to pick up pace. "Each of us, with the exception of Naruto, sealed off our own powers and swore never to call upon them again. In return, we were banished but permitted to exist."
"We promised never to use them to try to get back on top of the mountain," Naruto argued. "This is different-"
"No, Naruto," Inoichi shot him a sharp look. "If we are prepared to tap into our seals for this purpose then who is to say we will not choose to meddle with them again in future? He also swore to a truce. He agreed that he would bring no harm to us and to humanity, so long as we stay to our word. He cannot venture down to the Earth to wreak his war-mongering upon it, and we cannot ascend to confront him."
"What about my dad?" Naruto spat, his eyes flashing with a pain he had kept suppressed for too long. "He promised not to harm any of us – so why isn't my dad here?"
Kakashi reached out to lay a soothing hand on Naruto's shoulder, but the young man batted it away and was on his feet in an instant. "Answer me!" he exclaimed angrily.
"The Yellow Flash was our leader. Even he feared your father," Inoichi answered evenly. "And so he saw fit to-"
"Inoichi," Kakashi warned. Then, turning his attention back to Naruto, he entreated, "Please calm down, Naruto-"
"No!" Naruto's chest heaved with rage. "That bastard can't accuse us of breaking our promises when he broke his own oath the very first day he made it! What the fuck is he even doing up there? How do we know he isn't plotting something else? We can't trust him! How do we know he isn't the one who took Sakura-chan?"
"We don't!" Inoichi snapped, finally losing his temper. "But we cannot go charging in making accusations when we have absolutely no evidence in our possession!" Inhaling deeply following this outburst, he added a censuring, "You're still as rash and undisciplined as ever, Naruto!"
Naruto's jaw clenched in fury and he pointed an accusing finger at Inoichi, who stiffened. "You weren't there when my dad needed you. The least you can do is help me find Sakura-chan now! Would you just be sitting here and talking at me if it was Ino who was missing?"
Kakashi grabbed hold of Naruto's outstretched arm and jerked the youth back to his knees on the floor. "That's enough, Naruto," he reprimanded. "You've overstepped the mark."
Naruto glared at him, before directing unrepentant eyes back to Inoichi, who regarded him coolly. A tense, heavy silence ensued, in which the two remained locked in a silent struggle of wills.
Finally, Inoichi sighed, closing his eyes briefly. "If I didn't hold Minato in such high regard, I'd have cut out that insolent tongue," he muttered. Then he lifted his eyelids and met Naruto's heated gaze directly.
"Very well," he reluctantly agreed. "I will look into Sai's mind; but you must be prepared to bear the consequences."
Suigetsu leaned back against the wall of his prison, his arms folded impatiently across his chest. How much longer was he supposed to endure the humiliation of being stuck right where Sasuke wanted him? The Sea God knew he was capable of escaping through the lightning-charged bars of his cage; it wouldn't be a pleasant experience, but neither would it be particularly difficult. However, doing so would trigger the sensors that Sasuke had undoubtedly placed within the bars. The governor of death would be alerted the instant Suigetsu's body passed through the metal rods and rush back to confront him, to keep him from exiting the Underworld.
"Bastard," the water deity muttered in disgust. Sasuke was so cocky, so sure of himself all the time, walking around with his perfect, snooty nose turned up in the air like he was better than the rest of them, when in reality he was a pathetic coward. The fact that he'd resorted to kidnapping a human girl was proof enough of that fact.
Suigetsu sneered. Had the unfortunate child – Sakura – refused Sasuke? Was that why he had stolen her away from her mother? What an idiot, he thought derisively to himself. Sasuke clearly didn't know much about women if abduction was his wooing method of choice.
He huffed, rolling his eyes up to regard the low, rocky ceiling of his drab cell. Come on, he urged. How many times did he need to transmit his mental call before he was heard? He was ready to send a particularly colourful message out to his chosen receiver, when the trudging of boots along the path caused his eyes to brighten expectantly.
"Dammit, Suigetsu!" the familiar voice snapped. "You've given me a headache, stupid!"
He pushed himself off the wall and walked forward to peer at Karin through the glowing bars. "Always so pleased to see me," he said, flashing a toothy grin that didn't quite reach his eyes.
But Karin was too surprised to notice. "What are you doing in there, idiot?" she demanded. Then, quickly realising that there was only one possible explanation, she began to cackle at him. Suigetsu's insincere smile quickly dissolved, to be replaced by a positively murderous glare.
"Bitch," he seethed. "You won't be laughing when I get out of here."
"If you get out. Sasuke put you in there, didn't he?" She sighed dreamily. "So forceful," she purred.
Suigetsu's jaw dropped. Then he began to snicker and was soon hooting with laughter. It was Karin's turn to scowl. She desperately rued the fact that she couldn't clobber him on the head, as she used to do whenever he bothered her on the surface.
"Idiot! What's so funny?"
"Y-you!" Suigetsu gasped. "Still trying to get into that bastard's pants! Hahahahaha!"
Karin's cheeks turned as scarlet as her hair, as she spluttered indignantly, "W-what? Shut up!"
Suigetsu sniggered some more, before supplying amusedly, "You know he's got a girl here with him, right? A human? And she's a thousand times hotter than you are; you've got no chance."
"Shut up!" Karin ground out through tightly clenched teeth.
"He's probably taking his pleasure of her right now," Suigetsu continued to casually taunt, watching Karin's tortured expression gleefully. "You know what they say about-"
"SHUT UP!" Karin screamed, hurtling a rock at him in rage. It struck the lightning bars and sizzled into harmless debris. She stood, chest heaving with the intensity of her emotions. Then she inwardly cursed. She'd allowed Suigetsu to get under her skin again. He'd demonstrated an infuriating knack for that over the centuries. Exhaling slowly, she straightened her glasses and snarled, "I've got a job to do, bastard."
"Not so fast," Suigetsu said seriously as she moved to turn away. "Get me out of here."
Karin threw a derisive look back over her shoulder at him. Did the idiot truly think she would oblige him after how angry he'd just made her? More importantly, did he really think she was prepared to betray Sasuke?
"In your dreams, stupid! I serve Sasuke, now!"
"You're a water nymph," Suigetsu's lavender eyes narrowed as he emphasised the element pointedly. "I saved your life once, bitch. You owe me."
"Aren't you supposed to be the mighty Sea God?" Karin mocked. "Can't even get out of one little cage?"
"That's not it and you know it. Sasuke wants me in the Underworld because he knows I'll snitch on his ass. But if you help me out," he lowered his voice and raised his eyebrows, "I'll get Sakura out of here too and out of your way. Face it; you don't want her around."
"Sasuke hasn't brought her here for that, idiot!" Karin hissed.
The water deity snorted. "Oh yeah? Can you think of any other reason why he'd go through all the trouble to steal her away and keep her away from her mother?" When Karin stared blankly back at him, Suigetsu realised that she didn't know who Sakura's mother was. Deciding not to disclose the information, he amended, "There're people looking for Sakura. Important people. And if they find out that she's here, and that you did nothing to help her escape – then death will be the least of your worries."
He saw uncertainty flicker within Karin's eyes. If there was one thing he knew about Karin, it was that she always looked out for herself first. Sensing her hesitation, he added, "I'll get you out, too. You can stay underwater until Sasuke gets over his tantrum. He can't reach you there."
Karin swallowed. Suigetsu held his breath hopefully when she remained silent. Finally, she shook her head. "No. He isn't like the others. I won't betray him." Pursing her lips and narrowing her eyes at the Sea God, she finished, "Don't call me again, idiot!" Then she turned and began to stomp away.
"You think he gives a damn about you?" Suigetsu yelled after her. "He's using you Karin! The same way he uses everyone else!"
His words echoed in the darkness and fell upon unreceptive ears as Karin disappeared out of his sight.
Sakura hadn't quite known what to expect before she stepped into the library, but nothing could have prepared her for the brilliance that met her eyes when Chizu parted the emerald encrusted doors. She saw gold and pristine white – and shelves upon shelves of books, leading up to an impossibly high ceiling supported by gently arching, ornate gold beams. The books formed two different levels, enclosed within elegant golden railings, up to which climbed two, gently swirling staircases, placed on either sides of the massive room. The floor was immaculately polished and boasted pretty, geometrical patterns that reminded Sakura of the shapes formed by a kaleidoscope. She released an amazed gasp, turning her eyes up to the ceiling again. It displayed a beautifully painted golden sun, surrounded by rings of glorious flame. Exotic, mosaic-like patterns provided extraordinary detail, and Sakura wished that she could somehow get closer to examine every part of the masterpiece looming above her. The picture itself seemed to somehow illuminate the room with light. Three colossal chandeliers added to the warm, magical glow about the space. They boasted ruby-droplets, much like the smaller floor candelabras she had glimpsed in the ballroom. Sakura's gaze lowered and noticed the long ladders attached to horizontal tracks between the book shelves, allowing easy access to higher-up books.
"Do you like it?" Ume asked, peering anxiously into Sakura's face. Sakura's mouth moved, but for a few seconds, she couldn't summon any words to answer her young attendant.
"I believe she does," Chizu smiled, watching Sakura's flabbergasted expression with open amusement.
It was the biggest, most breath-taking library she had ever seen. Sakura couldn't even begin to guess the number of books it housed, and felt genuine excitement bubble within her for the first time since she had woken up in the Underworld. She absolutely loved reading and in a library this size, there had to be books under every topic that existed beneath the sun. She hurried over to the left staircase and climbed up to the second level, her eyes trailing over the helpful labels, scrawled on small, rectangular golden plates, fixed neatly onto the base of the shelves.
Social science was divided into rows and rows of sub-sections – anthropology, sociology, linguistics, communication and philosophy, to name but a few. Sakura shook her head in amazement. The amount of knowledge contained in the room; how could one even begin to measure it? She walked around, reading labels of words she didn't even understand. Then she noticed that the railings on both sides of the upper level joined together at the end and tapered off to form another mini-landing with a staircase leading up to a secret section that had been concealed from her sight on the bottom floor by an arching beam.
She peered down at where Ume and Chizu were waiting for her.
"I'd like to stay here for a while," she called to them.
They turned their faces up to her, hearing the eagerness in her voice.
"Of course, Mistress. Do you require any assistance?" Chizu asked.
"No, thank you," Sakura answered politely, "I'd like to explore, if that's alright."
"Do you wish for us to wait for you?" Ume questioned.
"Oh, no! I might be a while," said Sakura distractedly.
"Then we will return for you in an hour. Will that suffice?" Chizu enquired next.
Sakura's eyes moved back to the staircase before her. "Yes. Thank you for bringing me here!"
She heard them chuckle in response, but scarcely noticed when the doors closed behind them as they left her to enjoy the library at her own pace. Sakura climbed up the stairs, turning her face back to the library's ceiling. The sun was closer, and glinted gold in the light that radiated from the chandeliers. She reached the top landing of the stairs and found herself in another section that possessed a gigantic, old-fashioned looking globe and brass telescopes resting on a large, circular table in the middle of the room. Maps and other star-gazing and astronomical contraptions were scattered on another rectangular oak table, as was an ink pot and, to Sakura's bewilderment, an actual feather quill.
Sasuke didn't even possess biro pens? Or a pencil? A fresh feeling of displacement was starting to creep over Sakura again. There was another wooden study table and a chair with a comfortable-looking, supportive cushion at its back in the right corner of the room. Smaller wooden bookshelves lined the large, square-shaped space and a rich, deep crimson carpet on the floor muffled her footsteps. Sakura turned her face up to the ceiling and gasped in delight. It was dome shaped and black, but twinkled with tiny lights that were reminiscent of actual stars.
When she finally managed to tear her eyes away from the pretty display, she turned to examine the rows of books. As she pulled a large, leather-bound one out and opened it, she was met with small, unfamiliar print, and frowned. Were all the books written in a language she couldn't read? Replacing the book, she pulled another out, only to find that it possessed the same foreign characters. Another three revealed the same result. Dismayed, Sakura turned and made her way back down the stairs and drew a random book from one of the second level's shelves. She sighed with relief when she found familiar text staring innocently back up at her.
Deciding that she should explore the ground floor first, Sakura climbed back down the curving staircase and walked over to the furthest, left-sided corner of the library, her eyes searching eagerly for their target. Where were all the stories? She couldn't find any label in the area that said fiction. Perhaps Sasuke didn't read fiction? He didn't seem like the type, but then, she knew nothing about him. Every library possessed a fiction collection – there surely had to be one. She followed the bottom shelves along but didn't find what she was looking for. Sakura supposed she might as well have been searching for a needle in a haystack. There were just too many books, and she didn't know where to start.
Well, at least she had another place to pass the time, she told herself, along with the enchanting gardens. She reached out to pull the sliding ladder along the track, drawing it closer to her. Then, carefully, she began to climb up the rungs, being careful with her slipper-clad feet. She peered left and right, spying books about all kinds and forms of art. No, this wasn't the right section. A quick glance down made her realise that the ladder was much higher up than it looked from the bottom. She grabbed the ledge above her and began to shuffle the ladder along, knowing it was a precarious method of transportation along the rack, but she couldn't be bothered to climb down again. She came to a stop by another section, only to scowl unhappily when she once again found herself in the wrong area. Perhaps the fiction books were on the other side? Why hadn't she thought of asking Chizu and Ume?
Seeing no other alternative than to climb back down, Sakura slowly began to descend. When she was certain she had gotten the hang of the spacing between the rungs, she picked up pace, eager to reach the bottom and to investigate the other side of the room, when her right foot unexpectedly misplaced on a rung, and her hands, which had been in transition to the next step down, lost their grip. Knocked off-balance, Sakura shrieked as gravity began to pull her backwards. Surely the fall would hurt; even halfway up was high enough to break bones. She flailed, trying to catch onto the ladder, but she was already plummeting to the ground, and squeezed her eyes shut in anticipation of the pain-
-only to feel warm, strong arms supporting her weight instead. She cracked her eyes open and tensed to find Sasuke's face hovering inches from hers. She hadn't even heard him enter the library. But he had, and he had caught her, and was holding her in a sweeping manner that mimicked the way new grooms carried their brides. Sakura's heart was racing instantly, and she felt sudden heat bloom into her face. Sasuke's dark eyes held hers for a long moment, causing her pulse to quicken further – and then he slowly lowered her, setting her safely onto the ground. Sakura's legs felt like jelly as she stepped back to place a respectable distance between them, awfully self-conscious of her flushed cheeks.
"Thank you," she stammered automatically, and was shocked when her mind registered a second later that she was actually expressing gratitude toward her deranged and dangerous abductor. Feeling thoroughly awkward, she looked down at her treacherous feet and added stupidly, "These slippers- they- I slipped-"
Oh, nice, her inner voice taunted sarcastically. Turning into an incoherent mess around Sasuke was not how she had intended to execute her new, subtle shift in demeanour toward him.
Sasuke remained quiet. He was far too busy examining the curious pink tinge her cheeks had adopted and contemplating how lovelier she looked with them to really pay much heed to her stuttering excuses.
The manner in which he was watching her only caused Sakura's blush to deepen. His eyes were so intense. Didn't he realise how uncomfortable his silent staring made her? In an attempt to change the subject, she blurted, "Chizu and Ume brought me here."
Sasuke blinked, and then finally, blessedly, removed his gaze from her, instead turning it up to drift over the shelves. Sakura used the precious few seconds to scream at the heat in her cheeks to disappear, but her face still felt like it was on fire. And Sasuke's eyes returned to her far too soon, as he questioned, "Does it suffice?"
"Huh?" she blinked uncomprehendingly at him. He raised a dark eyebrow, before gesturing around the room with his right hand.
"The library," he stated pointedly.
Oh. Oh. Of course he had meant the library. Sakura hesitated despite herself. The sensible voice in her head was telling her that now was the time to begin implementing her plan, but the more indignant and rebellious part of her was screaming at her to not even dare to be civil to someone who had shown her absolutely no politeness or kindness whatsoever.
That was when she became distinctly aware of the fact that Sasuke was watching her very closely, waiting for her answer. And that they were perhaps on the verge of having something that resembled a normal conversation – pending on her choice of response.
If she chose to ignore him, or to confront him about what he had said to her earlier, she knew he would wall off completely. His current expression was still unreadable, and he still radiated danger – but the difference was that he was actually asking her for her opinion about his property – and seemed genuinely interested to know it.
Swallowing nervously, Sakura answered, "It's..." she paused, before forcing herself to openly disclose, "…wonderful."
He blinked, and Sakura thought she detected a flicker of something in his dark eyes – but it was gone before she could identify it. Hastily averting her gaze, she added tentatively, "I-I don't suppose you have any fiction books…?"
Sasuke made a sound that she took to be a scornful snort. "You enjoy fantasy."
Sakura's eyes flew back to his face. "I enjoy classical and mythological literature," she defended indignantly.
"Hn," was all he offered in response. Then he nodded once to his right, signalling the area she had been scouring the shelves to find. Sakura wandered over to it, and stared at the section he had indicated in disbelief. More mythological fiction books than she could count were stacked upon shelf after shelf. Where had Sasuke even gotten all these materials from? He lived underground. It didn't make any sense – not unless there was a special delivery service that shipped packages through secret tunnels beneath the earth. Which, of course, was ridiculous.
Wasn't it?
She directed an uncertain look at him. He was still standing in the same place, watching her intently. She opened her mouth to question him, but quickly reminded herself that Sasuke didn't answer anything about himself. Her queries had to be non-personal. If her prediction was correct, he would answer.
Still, it felt strange and unnatural speaking to him without any animosity, when all she really wanted to do was demand all the answers he was refusing to give her. Be patient, said the voice of reason in her mind. Trying to make her tone sound as casual as possible – and probably failing spectacularly at it – she said, "How many books are in here?"
Sasuke turned his gaze back to the endless rows of shelves. Sakura held her breath – and her heart fluttered when her calculation proved to be right. Sasuke answered her, though his smooth voice seemed somewhat guarded – as if he did not expect her sudden display of politeness to last.
"A million, at least."
"Wow," Sakura breathed, sincerely impressed. Sasuke's eyes locked back onto her, and her sense of paranoia was convinced that he was giving her a suspicious look – but she quickly turned her face away, grateful for the silky curtain her hair formed between them as she busied herself with one of the shelves.
Keep talking, she urged herself, biting her lower lip, her mind frantically searching for something to talk about. Then she had it. "I saw the ballroom too. It's really magnificent."
He didn't respond, but she heard his footsteps drawing closer to her. She looked up from the book she had pulled out and been idly flicking through, to find Sasuke staring hard at her. She swallowed. The concentration of his gaze was startling, and he was surely doing precisely what she had dreaded – scrutinising her with the intention of sussing out exactly what she was thinking and playing at, being civil to him all of a sudden. She abruptly dropped the book and backed away from him. The fear she allowed to show on her face was not an act. Sasuke was scaring her.
His eyes lowered to the book, and for a long moment, remained fixed on it. Then he seemed to make up his mind about something. Meeting Sakura's gaze once more, he intoned, "Do you wish to see more?"
Sakura rigidly shook her head. "I've seen enough for today," she replied tensely. Then she remembered that she didn't even know what time it was, but decided not to push her luck. She was quite certain that Sasuke wouldn't answer her if she asked him about it. And so she wound her arms around herself and hurriedly exited the room, half-expecting Sasuke to follow her. Thankfully, he didn't. She kept walking until she reached the entrance hall, nearly bounding up the steps in her eagerness to return to her bedchamber. She took one wrong turn, but was able to retrace her steps and eventually found her room unassisted. Only when the doors were closed firmly behind her did she allow herself to release a shaky breath.
She couldn't do it. So much for her resolve to remain composed. She became aware then of the fact that her entire body was trembling. She couldn't pretend, couldn't treat Sasuke as though nothing had happened. As though he was just a normal guy she happened to be stuck with. Just attempting to do so had taken so much out of her, emotionally.
Tears stung at her eyes. Her heart was still racing with the strange adrenaline that Sasuke's presence seemed to spark within her veins. She couldn't. He upset her too much, petrified her too much. Complimenting his palace? What had she been thinking? How had she gone from throwing a goblet at him, to that?
Sakura knew the answer, of course. She was slowly but steadily losing her mind. She'd foolishly thought that she was being sensible by attempting to converse politely with him, but she'd only succeeded in igniting his suspicions. He clearly trusted her as little as she trusted him.
She walked over to the roaring fireplace, slumped down in the comfortable arm-chair, feeling drained, exhausted. She was back to square one. Trapped. Despair began to creep through her once again. She couldn't outwit Sasuke. He would see right through her. Neither could she relax enough to be herself around him. It was hopeless, a lost cause. She could never escape. And she would never see her mother again.
The tears were falling before she could stop them. Sakura wept without a sound.
Sasuke's eyes remained fixed on the fallen book on the ground, a scowl plastered firmly onto his face. Sakura, he had discovered, was unpredictable. Nothing like what he had been expecting. His proximity unsettled and intimidated her; he knew that much was certain. But she had just seemingly attempted to communicate with him. And he had been guarded and mistrustful, expecting her sudden display of politeness to be a ploy of some sort and a fresh attempt at extracting information from him.
But Sakura had abruptly left, before he had been able to fully analyse her intentions. And not knowing her mind frustrated him. The fact that he now had Sai tracking the progress of the hunt for Sakura on the surface did not change the fact that Sasuke needed to find a way to get her to eat the food of the dead. But how, when she was too afraid to remain in his presence for more than a few minutes?
He glared at the book, as if it were somehow responsible for the dissatisfying way their brief encounter had ended. Then he bent down to pick it up, and as he closed the cover, his eyes trailed over the title of the story.
It read: Of Myths and Star-Crossed Lovers.
With a contemptuous sneer, Sasuke shoved the offending book back into the gap in the shelf. Then he stormed out of the library, pulling the doors forcefully with his mind, causing them to slam shut behind him.
Author's note
Bwaha. Oh Sasuke. The reason why Sakura left was your staring freaks her out! Try to be a little kinder, maybe? Less imposing, maybe?
On a random note, I want a library like that. Like seriously. Can you imagine how amazing it would be to have all those books to yourself? I'm a bit of a book-worm, in case I hadn't made this clear enough xD
Anyway, please let me know what you make of the chapter! And be sure to visit my profile for new artwork from the super talented Mitsukio-Tennyo on deviantart who kindly contributed fanart of Sakura as the Underworld Queen. Next chapter will be more eventful. Thanks!